Cassiopeia
by gracefulcluts
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Cassie and her younger brothers, Andrew and Fletcher, have recently been adopted. By who? Jane Shepard and Garrus Vakarian. After got married, they brought the trio into their family. There's something very special about this teenager, though. While she might remind the couple of someone from their past, her own refuses to let her find peace in the present.
1. Chapter 1

I knew from a young age that I belong in the stars. I was named after the constellation Cassiopeia, after all. The Vain Queen. Not very flattering, but I appreciate the Greek Mythology reference.

Being the child of a scientist and a soldier, I guess you could say I got the best traits from either. A knack for leadership from my father, which helps when dealing with my two younger brothers; Andrew, who's nine, and Fletcher, who's five. I guess I got "smarts" from my mother... along with something I don't particularly like to talk about too much.

Hyperthymesia.

She had it, my grandmother had it; as far back as the records go, every woman and girl from my mother's side of the family had it. A perfect memory.

Well, "perfect memory" is an incredible understatement. It's similar to what Drell apparently have, minus the inconvenient flashbacks, for lack of a better term... Okay, maybe occasionally, but only when I'm _really_ stressed or scared. It's normal for them, but not for humans. That's why I'm so... different.

It's still early for me; I'm only thirteen, and it started when I was nine. The only other people who know about it besides Andrew...

They died.

Our parents died when the Reapers attacked. As did our closest family friends, the only other people who knew about it. It's been over three years since that day, and we've found a new home, with a wonderful couple that adopted us.

Jane and Garrus Vakarian.

Yes, that's _the_ Jane who saved the galaxy. Formerly Shepard, but she and Garrus Vakarian got married, so... yeah.

It's only been a few days since the wedding, since my brothers and I were adopted, but... I don't know. They don't know about my "ability", but... maybe they should?

Why am I so worried? I shouldn't be. Andrew's always telling me I'm worrying for nothing, which I _know_ I am, but I can't help it. It's my biggest fault. I'm a worrier. My anxiety is probably to blame for that, though...

Okay. Enough worrying, Cass. Get over it and tell them.

 _Now!_

I stand up from my desk in my room, put my game-face on, and walk out the door-

"Oof!" The air gets knocked out of me as I walk right into Garrus, who chuckles softly as he somehow manages to keep me on my feet. Urz is standing behind him, tongue hanging out and tail swaying happily.

"Well good morning to you, too." He smiles, and I can feel the embarrassment rise to my cheeks in the form of a blush.

"H-hi, um... Is... Is Jane still here?" I ask, struggling to get the words out. Garrus shakes his head.

"She left early for her meeting with the Council, but she should be back soon." He says as he places his hand on my shoulder, a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay, Cassie?"

"I... Yeah, I guess. I just wanted to talk to you two about... something..." I trail off, and he pulls me into a hug.

"Whatever it is, I can tell you're nervous. Relax a bit, alright?" Garrus smiles as he lets me free from the hug before continuing to speak. "Are you hungry? I could use more practice cooking."

"Sure... I can help if you want."

"I'll probably need it. Don't want to nearly start a fire like she did the other day." He jokes, and I giggle.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you don't."

Twenty or so minutes pass, and we've gotten everyone's food ready. Even for Andrew and Fletcher when they wake up.

I've been giving Garrus tips on cooking for us, while I was using the time to put together his own breakfast. I set the plate next to the others on the counter, and it takes him a couple seconds before he realizes the difference. Urz has been at our feet the entire time, not hesitating to lick up anything that may have fallen on the floor.

"Oh, you remember how to cook that?" He asks, surprised.

"It's not really that hard..." I say softly, feeling my blush come back to my cheeks. He laughs and gives me a one-armed hug.

"Wish I could say the same about human food. I really hope I did it right..."

"You did, I was watching." I say with a smile. "I'll go wake up my brothers."

"Alright," He says as he moves the plates to the table, and I walk into the hall towards their room. I walk in just in time to see Andrew helping Fletcher with his shirt; he always seems to put it on backwards by himself. Daisy and Rose are already awake as well, playing with each other at the feet of my brothers.

"Oh, you're already up?" I ask. "Makes it easier for me."

"Wasn't my choice," Andrew says as he turns towards me, and I can't help but smile at his major case of bed-head. "Fletcher woke me up because he could smell the food cooking."

"I'm hungry," Fletcher says, and I laugh.

"I know, me too. We've got food ready. It's already on the table, go on and eat." I kiss Fletchers head, and he darts out of the room with a wide grin, pulling his bear behind him. I start to follow, but Andrew grabs my hand and turns me to him.

"I can tell something's up. You okay?" He asks before letting go. I smile a little.

"I'm getting there..." I say softly, and he raises an eyebrow.

"You're... you're going to tell them. Aren't you?" He asks again, and I feel the blush come to my cheeks again.

"I hate it when you do that," I say, a little flustered. He laughs.

"Do what? I just know you. For someone who remembers everything, you can't seem to ever remember a way to not be so readable." He teases, and I stick my tongue out at him.

"Whatever..." I mutter as I walk out of the room, Andrew laughing a little as he walks behind. We walk into the room with the pups at our heels just as Jane walks through the front door.

"Hey, welcome back." Garrus says as he puts our drinks on the table. Jane walks over and kisses him.

"Food. Thank god, I'm starving." She says with a laugh as she sits down. Fletcher is already in his seat, half of his food already gone. Andrew and I sit down, followed by Garrus last. The Varren go to their respective bowls and begin gobbling down their meal.

"How was the meeting?" Garrus asks before taking a bite of his food.

"Well, first thing I did was insult them for making our wedding a public spectacle." Jane says, which almost makes Garrus choke on his food.

"Wait, you're serious?" He asks, wide-eyed. Jane just laughs.

"Of course not. I wanted to, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been offered the position if I did." She says before taking a bite of her own breakfast, a smile on her face. I swallow the food in my mouth without making sure it's fully chewed, causing me to cough before I can speak up.

"Wait, what position?" I ask, very glad I didn't end up choking.

"You're looking at the new Human Councilor." Garrus says, obviously with pride. "Makes me regret not accepting the Turian Councilor position."

"No it doesn't," Jane says matter-of-factly, a smile on her face. Garrus laughs and leans in to whisper in her ear.

"Hell no." He whispers, but it's still loud enough for me to hear. I giggle, and Andrew laughs as well. Garrus was obviously loud enough for him to hear, as well.

"Congratulations!" Andrew exclaims, followed by clapping from Fletcher.

"Yeah, we're so happy for you." I say, smiling as I continue eating.

"Thank you, but I'm not sure if I should be thankful yet." Jane admits. "It's definitely not combat, but it's definitely not _retirement_ , either. I hope I don't get bored."

"Why would you get bored?" Andrew asks.

"This _is_ Jane we're talking about." Garrus says with a smile. "It's quite a career change, going from saving the galaxy and destroying bad guys to naming Spectres and dealing with planetary disputes. If anyone will get bored, it'd be her."

"You know me so well," She laughs before turning to look at me. I know right away where this is going. "But enough about me. Garrus told me you had something you wanted to talk to us about?"

It suddenly feels like my heart lodges in my throat, and I stare at my plate, absently poking holes in my pancake with my fork.

"I... um... just wanted to tell you..." I begin, but my heart begins to race so hard and fast it feels like it'll leap right from my body. My eyesight begins to go fuzzy, my blood pressure drops; it almost looks like my fork begins to tremble, and I've already dropped it on the table.

I feel it coming. The thing I despise more than anything.

 _Well... shit._


	2. Chapter 2

_It's that day again._

 _The day it all began._

People scream as they scramble for cover at the lab just a couple miles outside of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Giant, robotic squid-looking things come from the sky, destroying the launch pad that hasn't been used in decades and the old space shuttles that remind us how far we've come. They took out the building that was once where the shuttles were _built_ with one hit from their beam.

As the rubble came falling, so did our morale.

Our parents push Andrew and I through the doors of the lab, our mother carrying two year old Fletcher while I grip the hand of Andrew.

Our parents grab weapons from a rack hidden in a wall, as do about a dozen other people who also came here for protection. After grabbing an assault rifle, our father runs up as fast as he can on his never-worn prosthetic legs.

"We'll keep you safe. You'll be okay." He says as Mom hands me Fletcher, and I hug him close.

"Aaron, Kayla! They're leaving!"

Our parents turn to look at the man who said their names, and Dad looks confused.

"No... they can't. It's not right, they won't just leave."

 _He's right._

"But... look!" The man says as he peers out a window. Dad looks out as well, brows furrowed.

"...Kayla... Start up the Mass Effect field..."

"What?" Mom asks, as if unsure she heard him right.

"Something's not right. Start it up. We need every defense we have."

She pauses for a second before nodding and running to a console along a wall. With a few taps, the building begins to vibrate before a shimmery force field passes over the entire building before the vibration dies down.

 _It won't be enough!_

Not even five seconds after the Mass Effect field stabilizes, a screeching pierces our ears and causes Fletcher to begin to cry. I pick him up and hug him tight, Andrew doing his best to comfort our brother as well.

"What the hell _is_ that?!" A woman screams from the other side of the lab, causing everyone to turn and look.

Just in time to see a monster phase through the field and into the building, only to skewer the woman on its long, claw-like fingers.

Everyone opens fire on the beast, and it lets out a blood-curdling scream before it falls to the floor in a pile of blood and ooze. I was able to turn Andrew and Fletchers eyes away from the scene, but that left me with it seared in my memory forever.

"Is that... an Asari?" Mom asks no one in particular, slowly and cautiously approaching in case it's not completely dead. Her shotgun locked and loaded, ready just in case.

 _It was. Once._

"It's... different..." Dad says, approaching as well. He drags the dead woman away from the monster, a gaping hole just under her ribcage. As soon as the woman is off the creatures arm, its eyes open wide and lets out another screech.

 _BOOM!_

Mom blows off the creatures head with a single shot, her Eviscerator smoking.

"Maybe... they're like Husks...?" I ask softly, and everyone turns to look at me.

"What?" One man asks as our parents walk up, dropping their weapons.

"Cassie, how did you come up with that?" Dad asks.

"Well... I've seen pictures of Husks... They kind of look the same..." I whisper. "Husks are what the Geth turned humans into on Eden Prime, and the Geth were trying to bring the Reapers back...That must mean the giant robo-squid-things are Reapers, and it makes sense that they can do the same thing to other species..."

"That... actually makes sense." Dad says, glancing back at the monster behind them.

"That's very good, Cass." Mom says with a smile, kissing me on the head.

"No it's not... means there could be more. Turians... Elcor, Krogan... all modified like that Asari or the Husks..." I say, tears beginning to come to my eyes.

I see it in their eyes. Fear. Genuine fear. When a ten year old comes up with the worst case scenario that makes _so much sense_ , it's hard to think of any other option.

"We need to prepare." Dad says as he stands up again, quickly getting used to his prosthetics.

"We've done everything we can..." Mom replies, still kneeling down by me, trying to calm me down.

"Not everything..." He mutters, a thoughtful look on his face. His eyes go wide, and he looks towards the crowd.

"Someone start up the Mechs!"

 _It won't be enough._

 _It won't be enough!_

"IT WON'T BE ENOUGH!"


	3. Chapter 3

My eyes open wide, and I'm greeted by Fletchers face over mine. He smiles and hugs me as I come to.

"Cassie!" He exclaims, and I slowly sit up as he hugs me.

"Thank god, are you okay?" Jane asks as she kneels down next to me, pushing the chair I apparently fell out of away.

"I... I think so..." I say softly, rubbing my throbbing temples. Urz and the pups trot over, sniffing me to make sure I'm fine to them. I smile a little and pet them, and Urz licks my face. I look up at Garrus, and he holds his hand out to me, a very concerned look on his face.

"Are you okay to stand up?" He asks, and I nod as I take his hand. He helps me up, then Jane.

"How often does this happen?" He asks, and I think he's talking to me.

"It's hard to expl-"

"Only when she's really nervous," Andrew speaks up, and I look at him.

"You told them?" I ask, starting to feel angry.

"Well, you fainted and fell into one of your memories. There wasn't time for you to wake up and explain it yourself..." He says, looking a bit guilty. The anger subsides, and I heave a sigh.

"It's okay... You did what you had to." I say, ruffling his hair, to which he blushes and bats away my hand.

"You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?" Jane asks, her hand on my head as if she's feeling for bumps.

"I don't think so." I say as I look around a bit. The table is all messy, clearly from the panic.

"I'm glad you're okay," Garrus says, his hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks... I'm getting better at controlling it, though... This is the first time it's happened in almost a year." I say, blushing softly.

"Didn't you work with a Drell? They have the same kind of thing, right?" Andrew speaks up again.

"Yeah, we had one on our team when we went up against the collectors. His name was Thane." Jane says, and I see the sadness wash over her. Garrus apparently does as well, and he pulls her to him.

"The Drell you met before the wedding is actually Thanes son. He's part of the team Vega and I are training for C-Sec" Garrus says as he holds Jane close.

"What happened to him?" Fletcher asks out of curiosity. He apparently doesn't notice the sadness filling the room.

"He died, didn't he...?" I ask, and Jane nods.

"Not too long after the Reaper Invasion began, Cerberus attempted to take control of the Citadel." Garrus speaks up again. "Long story short, we stopped the assassination of the Salarian Councilor with his help, but he was wounded in the fight."

"He had Kepral's Syndrome, right?" I ask again. "That kept him from recovering the way he would have if his lungs were fine. The Salarians actually offered their help in finding a cure for it as a way to thank him. They've got a treatment being given to the Drell affected by Kepral's, but they're still working on something permanent."

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that," Jane laughs a bit and pulls me into a hug. "I've got to say, it's pretty awesome though."

"Agreed. I didn't even know humans could have that kind of memory." Garrus admits.

"It's really rare, but it's been in my family for as far back as the records go. The firstborn has always been a girl, and they always have it."

"That explains why you remembered so much when talking to EDI about synthetics," Jane says. "I think she would find your ability _very_ interesting."

"To say the least," Garrus says with a smile. I blush shyly, a faint smile on my own lips.

"I'll tell her... eventually... I've just had enough excitement for one day, though. And we've barely finished breakfast."

"I think we're okay with that," He laughs. Andrew walks up closer, looking at me.

"I think I know what memory that was," He says softly. "The first day of the invasion... with that Asari thing, right?" I look at him a bit wide-eyed.

"How... how did you know?"

"You were talking. Saying things like 'Asari' and 'Monster'."

"It won't be enough." Fletcher speaks up now, and we all look at him.

"That, too." Andrew laughs a little.

"I said that out loud?" I ask, to which Andrew nods. "Well, that's... great." I laugh awkwardly and rub my neck before I notice the clock.

"We're gonna be late!" I start to turn, but Garrus puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, relax. You'll be fine. Finish your breakfast, _then_ you guys can leave for your first day of school. They'll understand." He says with a smile, and I feel a weight lift off me.

"...Okay... Thanks." I find myself smiling back as I sit down and continue my breakfast. My pancakes are a bit soggy, but they're still warm.

I notice the prongs of my fork are a bit warped, wondering how it got that way. It wasn't like that before.


	4. Chapter 4

We've all finished breakfast, combed our hair and brushed our teeth. Fletcher has a little backpack with everything he needs, and Andrew and I have almost everything we need on our omni-tools. Now we're on our way to school, Garrus taking extra time off today to make sure everything's set before we go to our classes.

"Now, I just want to make sure of one thing before we get too far." He stops just in front of the doors, kneeling down to talk to the three of us. "Are you sure you don't want to keep your names?"

"We're sure," I say with a smile. "We've talked about it, and we want it to be official. We're a family, so it'd make sense to all have the same name."

Andrew and Fletcher nod, and Garrus smiles a bit sadly before continuing.

"I just wanted to be sure... I mean, you don't have much left from your parents, but... if you _do_ want to stay Cassie, Andrew and Fletcher Bishop, we won't be upset or offended."

"We're sure. Really." I giggle a little and hug him, as do my brothers. "We'll always have them with us in our hearts, but we can't just hang on to the past."

I feel Garrus sigh as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders, and he chuckles.

"That's fair... Alright. Come on, you're already late enough as it is." He stands up and takes Fletchers hand before leading us through the doors. A big, wide-open reception area is just inside, a Salarian clerk behind one of the front desks. He's typing away, not paying us any attention.

"Sorry we're late," Garrus says. "Something happened at home that we had to take care of."

"Names?" He asks plainly, still not looking up.

"Cassie, Andrew and Fletcher."

" _Last_ names?"

"Vakarian."

 _That_ got his attention. He finally looks up, wide-eyed, and nearly falls out of his chair.

"Oh... _Oh_! Y-yes, of _course_ , welcome, I'm so sorry-" The Salarian rambles on for a few more seconds, becoming less and less coherent. He finally stands up, which knocks his chair over, and clears his throat.

"R-right this way," He says before walking towards the direction of the elevator that leads to our classes, but Garrus stops him, looking confused.

"They don't need anything, like a pass?" He asks, and the Salarian laughs.

"Of _course_ not! Everything's all set, and they're ready to head _right_ to class!"

Garrus and I look at each other as the clerk summons the elevator and ushers us in.

"Their classes should be on your Omni-tool, sir, so you can walk them to the door. I mean, you _can_ go in if you'd like, I'm sure it'd be quite the honor to have _you_ visit the class. Or your wife, that would be _wonderful_!" He turns on his toes to head back to the desk, and the last thing I see before the doors close is the clerk give a late pass to an Asari. I look up at Garrus, and he's laughing a little.

"I saw it, too. That's gonna end up happening a lot..." He admits, and I smile awkwardly.

 _This is gonna be great..._

We make it to the floor with our classes, and we walk out of the elevator and into an empty hallway. Garrus looks at his omni-tool.

"Looks like Fletcher's class is first." He says as Fletcher grabs his hand. We start walking and make it to his class, but Fletcher doesn't want to let go.

"Can you stay?" He asks Garrus, and he kneels down.

"I wish I could, buddy. You'll do great, make some friends, have a lot of fun. Jane and I will be back to pick you up as soon as class is out, okay?" Garrus hugs Fletcher, and he nods a little before looking up at Andrew and I.

"He's right." I say, kissing his head. "Go on, Fletcher." He hugs us before waving and nervously walking through the doors. Garrus stands up and looks at us.

"Alright Andrew, you're next." I can hear my brother groan a little, and that makes me laugh as we continue walking.

"What, are you worried?" I ask, my arm over his shoulder.

"You know I'm just not a big fan of crowds..." He mutters, and I ruffle his hair.

"You were fine at the wedding, and that was a _much_ bigger crowd."

"That's different! The attention wasn't on me... it will be as soon as I walk through the doors..."

I stop and hug him, trying to calm him down.

"Relax. You'll do great, too. At least you don't have to worry about fainting in class like I do." I say with a smile. He looks at me, a faint smile on his own lips.

"...I guess _that_ much is right..." He sighs, and I hug him. After a couple seconds of that, he pulls away and looks up at Garrus.

"Andrew, you're a great kid. As friendly as can be and incredibly curious. Seriously, go and make some friends." Garrus insists, ruffling Andrews hair before he turns and walks into his class with a smile on his face and his head held higher than before.

"That worked... better than I expected." I admit, laughing. Garrus chuckles as well, his hand on my shoulder as we walk towards my class.

"Agreed. Now, Cassie, if _anything_ happens, _please_ let me know. If you faint, if you fall back into a memory, or if anyone tries to hurt you or your brothers." I start to object to that last one, but he holds up his hand. "I remember being in school. Kids can be mean, and it might just be worse considering... us."

"It can't be that bad..." I say softly, but I feel myself questioning it as I say it out loud.

"It might not be. It just can't hurt to be prepared." He says as we stop in front of my class. "Just please, promise me."

"I promise," I say with a smile, and he pulls me into a hug.

"Good. Now, don't get into any trouble, either." He laughs and I roll my eyes.

"Who, me?" I ask as I turn and wave, walking through the door and into my class.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as I walk through the doors, I can feel every eye in the room land on me. Even the teacher. Middle-aged, human, salt-and-pepper bobbed hair. She turns and smiles, motioning her arm in my direction.

"Welcome! We're so glad you could make it." She says, motioning me to her, and I nervously walk over. She then turns towards the class of twenty-three, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder.

"Everyone, this is Cassie Vakarian. She's new to the Citadel, so I expect everyone to be welcoming." She turns to me, still with her smile. "My name is Mrs. Michaels, but I go by Mrs. M. Would you mind telling the class a few things about yourself?"

I turn a bit towards the class, meeting eyes with every student already seated. The class looks to be fairy diverse, but with a fairly even number of each race, with a couple exceptions. Humans, Asari, Turians, Salarians. Even a pair each of Krogan and Quarian, which I wasn't expecting.

"Um... I'm from Earth, I have two younger brothers... and we have three pet Varren, which actually make very good pets despite their stigma." I say the first few things that come to mind, aside from my whole memory thing.

"Huh, _very_ interesting!" Mrs. M says with an intrigued look before motioning towards the students. "Thank you for sharing. Please, take a seat so we can continue with the lesson."

I nod and move to an empty seat towards the wall, sitting down and waiting patiently for the teacher to pick up where she left off.

Not even ten seconds after I'm seated, I can feel a faint buzzing come up behind me. I glance back to see a little holographic drone no bigger than Fletchers fist floating just inches away. I look away and try to ignore it, but it starts hitting me with some kind of pellet through the gap between the seat and the back of my chair.

It's starting to get annoying, but I continue to ignore it... But then it zaps me with a light shock, and I shriek a little. Everyone turns to look at me, even the teacher, but when I turn around to look at the drone, it's gone.

"Is everything alright, Cassie?" Mrs. M asks, and I lock eyes with a smirking greenish-blue Salarian kid towards the back.

"Yes, Ma'am. My foot just slipped out from under me. Makes me glad I was already sitting." I say as I turn around, already planning for the next time he tries the drone thing again. The teacher nods before continuing where she left off, talking about the history of the Citadel.

Sure enough, the buzzing returns, and while the teacher is looking away, I pull up my Omni-tool. Just a few clicks, and I've easily taken control of the drone and turned it back on him. I don't even need to turn around this time.

"Oh... Oh shit... Leave me alone, leave me _alone_...!" I hear him frantically whisper, and the kids around him begin to giggle mockingly. I smirk and place my hands innocently on my lap just before the teacher turns around.

"What's going on back there?" She asks just in time to see the Salarian kid get shocked by his own drone.

"Ouch! W-what's happening to it?!" He yells as he stands up and begins to try and get away from his own drone. The other kids bust out laughing while the teacher, with a couple taps on her own omni-tool, makes the drone disappear.

"You got what you deserve, Alero. What did I tell you about making drones to annoy the new kids? Looks like someone knows how to hack and decided to turn it back on you. Now sit back down, and _don't_ try that again." Mrs. M waves him away, and the kid apparently named Alero sits down, seemingly defeated. He glares at me, and I find that I'm _very_ pleased with myself, despite the fact it seems I've already gained an enemy.

The rest of the class goes by without any issues, and soon, we're dismissed to go to one of our electives. I stand up, and before I even take a step away from my desk, Alero walks by and forcefully bumps my shoulder with his. It knocks me into my desk, the corner hitting my hip. I inhale sharply from the pain and bend over a little, my hands over the hurt area.

"Watch yourself, new girl." He says as he walks by, chuckling. I bite my lip to keep back the tears, genuinely concerned that the sharp corner didn't break the skin through my pants. He walks out, followed by a couple kids that appear to be his "posse".

"Are you okay?" I hear a soft voice ask from behind me. I turn around and look at who spoke to me. A petite Quarian girl stands a few feet behind me, hugging a tablet to her chest.

"Y-... yeah... I think so..." I wince as I stand upright, heaving a sigh. "Thanks."

"Alero's a jerk." She says before holding out her hand towards me. "Kamani. You can call me Kam."

"Cassie," I say as I shake her hand. "Nice to meet someone who doesn't seem to be out to get me, for whatever reason."

"I'll bet," She says with a giggle. "I don't know why, though. I mean, why people would be out to get you."

"You must not recognize my last name, then..." I say softly as I walk towards the door with Kam next to me.

"Oh, I _do_ recognize it. I just don't think it's a reason to hate you." She replies, and I actually find her opinion comforting.

"I appreciate that," I smile. "I really do. I wish people wouldn't treat me different just because of it..."

"Well I promise I'm at least _one_ person who won't. I know I won't be the last, either." She says as we walk out the door and into the hall. "What's your next class?"

"Engineering," I say as I check my omni-tool. "Crap... why do I have a feeling he's in that class, too?"

"He is, but don't worry. So am I." Kam says with a grin, the glow in her eyes lighting up a bit more. Maybe because she's happy? I'll have to ask Tali next time she's over.

"Good. I don't know where it is, anyway." I laugh a bit, and Kam hooks her arm through mine.

"Good thing you have me!" She exclaims happily as she leads me to our class.

One friend, one enemy. Pretty eventful first hour, if I don't say so myself.


	6. Chapter 6

Engineering is a class for those who already show a knack for technology, so the fact Kamani, a Quarian, is enrolled in the class as well is anything but surprising. Quarians have incredible skill with _anything_ technological, especially when it comes to the Geth. Since the Reaper invasion ended, the Geth stopped functioning as one collective mind and instead, each individual began to be just that- an individual. And Geth, who were _created_ by the Quarians, also have incredible skill when it comes to technology.

However, despite all that, finding out a Geth is the _teacher_ for this class... Even I never would have expected that, especially considering the history of Geth on the Citadel.

"Greetings," It says as I walk through the door. Its head flaps perk up a bit, reminding me of a cockatiel a friend had as a pet back on Earth.

"Whoa." I say in awe, not even realizing I said that out loud until the Geth tilts its head and seems to chuckle... Can Geth even laugh?

"That is the usual reaction. Welcome. The other students refer to me as 'Teacher', and you may do so as well. Please, take a seat. We will begin shortly." It steps aside and Kam cheerfully pulls me with her to a pair of empty seats.

Sure enough, Alero walks in just seconds after we sit down. We lock eyes, and he glares at me. I just smile, and Kam looks from him to me.

"So, did you do it? Hack his drone?" She whispers as Alero walks past me and sits towards the back, just like the previous class.

"Maybe..." I reply back, an awkward smile on my face. She giggles softly and excitedly squeezes my arm.

"That's freaking awesome!" She says, maybe a bit too loud. She blushes and lowers her voice again as everyone who turned to look at us turn away. "I wish I knew how when he did that to _me._ Thankfully he won't be in class with us for too much longer... Salarians have to go through their course really fast, considering they don't live long at all. He'll be moving up at the end of the week."

"I think they're kind of sad. For that reason, I mean." I admit. "They're smart, fast, but with their short lives... They could accomplish so much more if they lived twice as long."

"I've... never thought of it that way..." Kam says after a bit of a pause. "That's a good point, though. What if they lived 80 years instead of 40?"

"Exactly," I say, but I feel eyes on me. I turn my head, and I see Alero looking at me. A much softer expression than when he first walked in and saw me, but when he realizes I'm looking at _him_ , his expression hardens and eyes narrow once more.

He must have overheard our conversation.

"Alright." The teacher begins, and the class quiets down. "I will take a few minutes to cover what we have been talking about for the past few days. We have a new student with us, and I do not want her to be completely at a loss."

The rest of the class goes by without a hitch, and I apparently surprised everyone with the extent of my knowledge. I didn't overdo it, because I definitely don't want people to question _how_ I know as much as I do. I mean, I remember every bit of every code from the lab back on Earth for goodness sake. But here, I'm only sharing enough of my knowledge to set myself apart. I'm perfectly okay with that.

Now, It's time for lunch. The lower classes are just leaving the mess hall as we approach, and I smile when I see Fletcher in line with his class. Kam runs up to me and follows my line of sight.

"Is that one of your brothers?" She asks, and I nod.

"That's Fletcher. The curly blonde, fourth in line. He's the youngest." I sigh a little, and Kam looks at me.

"Are you okay?" She asks, concerned.

"Yeah, it's just... He's growing up so fast. He looks more and more like our dad with each day..." Kam puts her hand on my shoulder to try and comfort me, sensing that I'm kind of distraught.

"I'm sorry... I know how it feels to lose family." She says softly as we get in line for food. "My aunt died on the Migrant Fleet, and my Uncle on Rannoch... My cousin, Jona, has been living with us since his parents died."

"That's horrible," I say softly. "I know how he feels. I'm just thankful my brothers won't remember the death of our parents the way I do..."

"Kamani!"

We both turn to see a wide-eyed and excited Quarian boy run up, a huge grin on his face. Kam smiles and hugs him.

"Jona, we were just talking about you. How'd it go?" She asks, and he continues to grin wide.

"You're looking at the first Quarian signed up for Biotics training!"

"That's amazing," I say, laughing. His joy is contagious, and he even hugs me because he's _that_ excited.

"Oh, hello by the way." He laughs a bit awkwardly as he steps back, meeting my eyes and holding out his hand. "Jona'Hazt."

"Cassie Vakarian." I say, shaking his hand. His eyes go wide and his jaw drops. Kam laughs and pulls him along with us in the line so we don't hold it up.

Quarians are fascinating. Since they don't even need their suits anymore, the mystery of their kind isn't much of a mystery anymore. Human-like aside from their glowing eyes, ears, hands and legs. Their hair is a bit more frizzy, too, which seems to fit how almost hyperactive they are.

"Vakarian! I _thought_ you looked familiar! We saw at the wedding, so you must know Tali'Zorah!" Jona exclaims as we reach the front of the line. Everyone turns to look at us, and Kam forcefully covers his mouth to quiet him down.

"Yes, but she doesn't want it announced to the whole freaking Citadel..." Kam laughs softly and moves her hand away once Jona seems to have calmed down a bit.

"Right... sorry..." He blushes and smiles a little. We all grab a tray of food before heading to an empty table. We sit down, Kam next to me and Jona across from us. He's as tall as I am, which is a solid four inches taller than Kam.

"Why are you even here?" I ask. "I mean, Quarians in general..."

"Well, everything got set up very quickly on Rannoch thanks to the Geth, and once the Reaper thing ended, my parents volunteered to travel here to help with repairs as well." Kam says, taking a bite of her food.

"The Mass Relay by Rannoch was the first one to be repaired, and as soon as the one here in Sol was fixed, we were on the first one through." Jona says as well. "What brought you to the Citadel?"

"Well... my parents were killed on Earth during the invasion, and my brothers and I came here because we thought we had family... Turns out we didn't, but we were adopted by Jane and Garrus, so we ended up having family here anyway." I say with a bit of a smile.

"I know how you must feel," Jona says kindly as he reaches out to pat my hand. He shocks me a little, and we both jump and find ourselves laughing despite the somber topic.

"Biotics..." He says with a blush as he motions to implant by his ear.

"I'm sure," I reply, finding my own cheeks going warm.

Without missing a beat, I see a very familiar little drone float up behind Jona, and I look past him to see Alero smirking in my direction.

"What is i- Ah!" Jona begins, but he gets zapped by the drone. Alero and I lock eyes, and I stand up with my hands on the table, glaring at him.

"Excuse me a minute," I say, walking around the table.

With a swift kick, the drone shatters into pixels on the floor before I turn to Alero once more. He's now standing up as well, and people nearby turn to stare.

"What gives you the _right_ to shock _anyone_ with that wimpy little drone?!" I yell, feeling the anger welling up inside.

"What gives you the right to call it 'wimpy', you coward?" He asks, smirking.

"Interesting choice of words, calling someone a 'coward' when they're standing up to you." I say as I walk towards him, my hands trembling.

"Cassie," I hear Kam say from behind me, but I'm too infuriated to pay attention to anyone besides Alero.

"He didn't do anything to you." I say now, stepping closer and closer to the Salarian dickhead.

"Um, Cassie?" I hear Jona try and get my attention this time, and I turn to look at him. His eyes are wide, and he's gripping his fork tight in his hands. "I'm okay, really. Calm down."

"You're standing up for that biotic freak? Go back to Rannoch, you glowing orphan."

That's it. The last straw. I turn back to Alero, but as I do, a shockwave flings him back into the table behind. He gasps as the wind gets knocked out of him, slumping to the floor with his hands over his stomach.

Now, far more confused than angry, I turn to look at Jona. That was clearly a Biotic ability, but based on the shocked look on his face, it wasn't his.

"Cassie, your hands!" Kam yells as she runs over to me.

"What?" I ask as look at them, and my eyes go wide.

A purple, shimmery mist has engulfed my hands, slowly spreading up my arms.

"Holy shit..." I mutter as my vision starts to go blurry, then all black.

 _Well... fuck._


	7. Chapter 7

_Not again..._

"They're almost through! We need more power!"

"Aaron, the Eezo core can't take anymore!"

"It needs to! It needs to hold out longer!"

All I hear is the frantic conversation between my parents through the metal doors of the closet as I hold my brothers close. It's been like this for days, and everyone in the closet with us can tell it's coming to a head. The Reaper forces are getting more desperate, and the Element Zero core that powers the lab is about to overload. Whenever it does, the entire building powers down for just a few seconds, but those few seconds are enough for the enemy to break through our defenses. If they do, it's all over.

 _It's over._

"Shit! Kayla, it's happening! Everyone, we don't have a choice! Protect the children!"

 _No... no no no..._

My heart drops, and I pull Andrew and Fletcher even closer as the tears stream down my face.

The building goes black and quiet, but that doesn't last long. An explosion shakes the building as something bursts through a wall, the smell of Eezo apparent even through the metal door of the closet. Weapons fire, screams and shrieks ring out, piercing our ears.

A green pulse suddenly washes over us, and it all goes silent. Not a sound. Everyone's holding their breath in the closet, even me.

Forever seems to pass, but eventually, the closet door slowly opens, a beam of light spreading until all we see is the morning sun. No roof, no walls, just the cloudless sky over an unending sea.

"Mommy!" A set of twins stand up and run out of the closet first, their lucky mother being the one who opened the door. One by one, the rest of the children stand up and slowly walk out until my brothers and I are the only ones left.

I lock eyes with the woman who opened the door, and I can tell.

"No... No, please, no..." The tears continue to fall, and I shake my head, refusing to accept what can't be hidden in her expression.

"I'm so sorry..." She says, tears in her own eyes.

"No! They... They can't..." I continue to shake my head.

 _They can't... but they are._

" _NO!_ "

I sit up fast, my head spinning.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy." Jona says as he rushes over, his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

I look around, my head throbbing and eyesight blurry.

"We're at the nurse. They let me stay with you because you were protecting me before you fainted."

"Alero..." I begin, holding my head in my hands. I can't get the rest of the words out, but Jona sits next to me on the cot.

"He's going to be okay. Bruised a couple of ribs, but he'll probably heal by tomorrow."

"Did... Did I...? Was that _me_...?" I ask, looking at him. I realize why my eyes are blurry.

I'm crying.

"Yes, but he'll be fine." He says again, trying to comfort me.

"I... I'm..." I hold my face in my hands, feeling myself begin to fall apart.

"I'm... sorry..." It's the last thing I can get out before I start sobbing, and Jona drapes his arm over my shoulder.

"Hey, shh... It's okay, Cassie." He whispers.

That goes on for what feels like forever, but I eventually calm down enough to look up and wipe my eyes. Jona hands me a tissue, and I find myself laughing softly.

"Thanks..." I say as I wipe my eyes, but turn away from him to blow my nose. I drop it in the trash can before turning back to him, and now he hands me a cup of water.

"You know you don't have to stay..." I say with a soft smile, and he grins back at me.

"Well I _am_ staying, so I may as well make myself useful." He replie as I take a sip.

"Thank you..." I say softly, but Jona shakes his head.

"No, thank _you_. Alero's been terrorizing us for weeks, and no one's done anything about it. Until now. I don't think he'll try anything again."

"Cassie!"

I look past Jona to the door, and I see Jane _and_ Garrus practically run in.

"Hi.." I say shyly, setting the water down on the nearby table. Jane darts over and hugs me as Jona stands up and backs away, giving us space. Garrus sits down next to me, squeezing my hand.

"Are you okay?" Garrus asks, very concerned.

"I'll be alright... So will the guy I hurt, thankfully..."

"She did it to protect me," Jona speaks up, and they look at him. "Actually, she... didn't even realize it was her who _did_ it at first.."

"We heard," Jane says. "We're glad you're alright, too."

"That's Jona. I met him and his cousin, Kamani, today..." I huff a little. "Very eventful first day. Make an enemy, a few friends, only to discover you're a biotic and send said enemy to the hospital in the process..."

"A very powerful biotic, too." The nurse speaks up from across the room, a purple Asari. We all turn to look at her. "Take it from me. I've never seen that level from someone without an implant before."

"That doesn't really make me feel better..." I laugh awkwardly, rubbing my head.

"It wasn't supposed to." The nurse says as she walks over and bending down to talk to me. "It was supposed to give you strength. Courage. Know that this isn't the end, that it's only the beginning. I would suggest getting an implant so that you can train and hone your abilities, because child, you're incredible. And you can only go up from here."


	8. Chapter 8

Sure enough, I'm signed up for surgery the following day.

Andrew took the news very well, but Fletcher's still too young to really understand what it means to _be_ a Biotic.

"Cassie can make stuff float!"

That's all he said for _hours_ until he passed out after dinner, I'm not even joking. Speaking of dinner, we invited Kam and Jona to join us, and Tali even showed up as well to help with the cooking. After Kam and Jona calmed down, at least. They _did_ just meet the most famous Quarian in the galaxy.

Turns out, Jonas mother was killed on the same ship in the Migrant Fleet that Talis father was. Not just that, but Jane, Garrus _and_ Tali were all there when his father died on Rannoch. Needless to say it was a very somber half hour after that news came out. But the mood eventually got better and happy once more when the pups started running around and causing a general ruckus.

The time flies by fast, and now it's time for my new friends to head home.

"Call me when you're out of surgery, okay?" Kam says as she taps on her omni-tool, and we transfer our contact info so we can video chat.

"Don't worry, I get the feeling you'd never forgive me if I didn't." I say with a smile, and she hugs me while giggling.

"Well, you're not wrong." She says as the cab lands behind her. She waves as she climbs in, but Jona stands in front of me with an... odd look on his face.

"I just... wanted to thank you again. For earlier. Even though you didn't mean to do it _quite_ the way you did, you still stood up for me." He says while rubbing his neck. I smile and hug him.

"And I'd do it again," I say, and I can almost swear I feel his cheek getting warm against mine. He steps back, clears his throat and looks away, seemingly embarrassed.

"W-well, anyway. I should go, I'll see you later."

And with that, he jumps into the cab and takes off, leaving me standing by the door, just questioning...

"What the heck just happened?"

"I think he likes you," Tali says from behind me, and I practically jump out of my skin.

"Geez! D-don't _scare_ me like that!" I say breathily, and she laughs.

"I am kind of light on my feet. But really, I think he _does_ like you." She says as she leans against the wall.

"Why?" I ask as I turn around, and she shrugs a little.

"Why not? You're very pretty, and you _did_ stand up for him today, even despite the fact you had only just met."

"How, then? How can you tell?"

"I saw the look on his face when you hugged him. I've never seen anyone blush like that before." She giggles and stands upright as I walk over to her.

"What should I do? I mean... he _is_ cute, but like you said. We _just_ met..."

"Give it time, Cassie. You've got all the time in the galaxy, so there's no need to worry about it." Tali hugs me before walking towards her own cab. "Keep me updated, okay? And let me know how surgery goes."

"I will," I call out, and she waves as the cab takes off with her inside it. I walk back inside with a sigh, pulling my hair up into a ponytail.

"I think he likes you," Garrus says with a smile, and I grumble a little.

"Tali literally _just_ said the same thing..." I mutter as I flop down on the couch.

"Well, she's right." He continues as he sits next to me. "I saw the way he looked at you during dinner."

"Reminded me of the look on _your_ face when we first met, Garrus." Jane says as she walks over and sits down as well, and he awkwardly rubs his neck.

"Really? I don't think I was _that_ obvious..." He chuckles, and I smile softly.

"I don't know..." I whisper, my chin resting on my hands. "I mean, like I told Tali, he's _cute_ , but..."

"Give it time," Garrus says, his hand on my shoulder.

"Did you talk to Tali already or something? You're saying the exact same thing." I sigh and stand up, rubbing my temples.

"Are you okay, Cassie?" Jane asks, concerned.

"Yeah, it's just... I'm starting to get a headache... I think I'm just nervous about tomorrow."

"I would be, too." Garrus says as they both stand up. "Try and get some rest, okay?"

I nod and sigh again, and they walk over and hug me. It helps me calm down a little, and I didn't even realize I was that anxious in the first place. I lean into them, feeling a lot of weight disappear from my shoulders.

"Alright," I say as I stand upright, taking a breath. "Good night, guys. I'll see you in the morning."

"Sweet dreams, Cassie." I hear Garrus say as I walk into my room.

I sit down on my bed, take a deep breath... then flop back with my head on my pillow.

The day keeps running through my mind, from my first encounter with Alero, to meeting Kam, to meeting Jona... The first Biotic Quarian, at least that we know of. There might be a few on Rannoch by now, but...

His story reminds me of my own. He lost his parents, and we lost ours. But despite that, he's _happy_. I mean, I guess I'm happy, too, but it's different. He's so full of joy, and I can't get that smile of his out of my head...

Okay, it's official. I've got a "crush".

So... tomorrow's the day. The _real_ start of the rest of my life.

There's no going back once I get the implant myself. Once I come out of surgery, the entire world will change for me. I'll still be taking my engineering class as well, but considering I already know the majority of that already, I'll be focusing most of my time on my newfound skill.

 _I can make stuff float..._

 _Awesome!_


	9. Chapter 9

The surgery went well.

I mean, not that I _remember_ it, but that's what I was told when I came to. Nothing out of the ordinary. A smooth, uneventful procedure.

The recovery process was minimal; just stay hydrated and _try_ not to bump my head on anything. That was easy enough considering I'm not clumsy.

We're home now, it's getting late, and I'm resting in my room with gauze wrapped around my head like some kind of half-breed mummy. There's a dull throbbing right behind my eyes, but that's to be expected. It's manageable, and _not_ the worst headache I've dealt with. I close my eyes and lean back against the wall as I sit on my bed, heaving a sigh.

My door opens, and I open one eye to see Garrus walk in with a pitcher of water and an empty cup.

"Hey, how are you hanging in there?" He asks as he pours me a glass and sits the pitcher down on the end table nearby. He hands it to me, and I take it.

"Been better, been worse." I answer before taking a sip, and he sits down next to me.

"I've always had a curiosity regarding Biotics," Garrus admits as he leans back against the wall. "I don't think I've ever heard of a Turian having the ability... I mean, maybe somewhere, but... I don't know."

"I'm sure there's one somewhere by now," I say. "A lot of unusual things have happened since Synthesis."

"Good point," He chuckles. I smile a little before closing my eyes and resting the cup carefully on my lap.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asks, his hand on my shoulder. I nod and sigh.

"Yeah, it's just..." I look down at the cup of water, moving it in a way that causes the ice water to swirl around. "I'm happy. Not just that, though. I'm... _content._ And for whatever reason, that feels like a bigger deal to me than just being happy."

"I can see how, though. Really." He drapes his arm over my shoulder, and I lean into him. "You've been happy with Andrew and Fletcher, watching over them and making sure you stayed together. But now, you don't have any needs. You have a bed, a home, and you'll never go hungry."

"Maybe you should quit C-Sec and become a shrink," I giggle softly, and he tilts his head a little.

"A shrink? Is that a human word?" He asks, confused.

"I... Yeah, I guess. Someone that helps people through tough times in their life, giving advice and that sort of thing."

"Ahh, I see." He says with a grin and kisses my head. "I guess that's also kind of my job description as a father."

"Yeah. I guess it is." I smile up at him, and he squeezes me lightly with a hug.

"Anyway. You should get some rest. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow." He stands up and begins to walk to the door, but I sit up.

"Wait," I say, and he turns around.

"Yeah?"

"...Thank you."

He smiles and nods, walking back over to kiss my forehead, avoiding the bandage to kiss the bit of skin just above my eyes.

"Anytime, Cass."

And with that, Garrus turns and leaves the room. I sigh and finish the cup of water, setting the empty glass on the table next to the pitcher. I raise my arm and attempt to call Kam on my omni-tool. It doesn't take but two seconds for her happy face to appear in the hologram.

"Cassie! I was starting to think you forgot about us." She says, and I see Jona push his face into the frame as well, which apparently annoys Kam. I can tell by the look on her face and the fact they're cheek-to-cheek.

"Hey, how'd it go?" He asks, his eyes wide with curiosity... or is that concern?

"Uneventful, which is a good thing." I say with a light laugh, and Jona makes a funny face.

"Lucky you. First Quarian, remember? Took twice as long as it does for a human, mostly because nobody besides other Quarians seem to know where our freaking _ears_ are." He says, but he has a smile on his face so we know he's not angry. Maybe a tad annoyed. I giggle a little, and so does Kam.

"It's not _that_ hard," Kam says.

"You're one to talk. Remember the part where I said 'Nobody _besides_ _other Quarians_ '? You're not helping the case." Jona says, bumping her shoulder lightly. I laugh and shake my head.

"You two are ridiculous. I need to get some rest, but I'll see you tomorrow." I say.

"Glad you went through alright, Cass." Jona says, smiling... a different kind of smile. I feel my cheeks go warm.

"Thanks..." I say softly, smiling back. Kam looks from me to him, and her jaw drops.

"Keelah!" She exclaims, and I see his eyes go wide, like he knows what's coming. "You _like_ he-"

All I see is his hand reach for her omni-tool, then the call disconnects. I sit there in silence for what feels like an hour...

Then I start giggling. Like, _hysterically_ giggling. Quietly, at least, but hysterically.

Must be the anesthesia still wearing off. That or I'm slap-happy; so tired everything seems funny. I flop back onto the bed, still giggling as my eyes slowly close.

 _I better be over this by morning._


	10. Chapter 10

"Get your freaking head on straight or I swear to god, Cassie. You might be Shepards kid now, but if you think I'm letting you off easy _because_ of it, you're sadly mistaken."

Jack. An old friend of Jane and Garrus who _just so happens_ to be the Biotics instructor on the Citadel. A bad-ass, tattooed bitch-of-a-woman who _somehow_ manages to get out of the dress code for the teachers. Quite frankly, I don't think she gives a damn about rules.

Or about student safety.

I stand there, panting with sweat dripping down my face and my bangs sticking to my forehead. This feels more like boot-camp than Biotics training. Jack walks up, hands on her hips, a smirk on her face.

"You gettin tired? Too bad. Try again." She practically hisses, and I close my eyes, my hands forming white-knuckled fists. "You're going to get this goddamn barrier down today or I swear-"

I yell loud, forcing my hands out in front of me, palms out. A wide, shimmery bubble forms around me, and Jack grins as I grit my teeth, struggling to keep it solid. She taps on it with her fingers, as if testing it.

Testing me.

"Not bad," She says, nodding subtly before walking back towards the four other kids in the class, including Jona. "Time for the _real_ test."

"Ah crap, you've got to be kidding m-"

"Now!"

I don't even finish my sentence before Jack signals the other students to unleash biotic attacks, and my first solid barrier gets pummeled. I groan as I feel myself struggle to keep it up, and the barrier wanes a bit.

As if on instinct, I shift as I slowly pull my hands in towards me, causing the barrier to shrink. With the next movement, I take a step forward and force my hands out, yelling again at the top of my lungs. The barrier to disappears, but it sends out a pulse that pushes everyone back a solid three feet, even Jack.

The students all look at me, wide-eyed, but Jona is the only one who looks impressed rather than intimidated. Jack claps her hands as she walks over, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Not bad. Not freaking bad at all." She smiles at me, a genuine smile. "You're done for the day. Hit the showers; you smell like shit."

My schedule got shifted enough that I have lunch right after my training; that's a great thing, because I need a break after all that. And a meal. Kam had her schedule shifted as well, so she, Jona and I can all have lunch together, all while avoiding Alero - but that might just be for his sake.

"Jona! Cassie!"

We hear Kam run up behind us, and I turn a bit too fast, which spins my still-wet hair into Jonas face.

"Ah! Hey!" He exclaims, laughing while swatting at it with his hands. I blush and quickly twist my hair up into a bun so it won't happen again.

"Sorry..." I say as Kam laughs as well, hooking her arm through mine.

"How'd your first day of class go?" She asks, and before I get a chance to even take a breath, Jona answers for me.

"She's epic!" He even does some kind of hand motion for emphasis. "She nailed the barrier on her first try!"

"It wasn't my first try," I shake my head as Kam leads us into the line for our food. "That was my fifth, or... something like that."

"Whatever. Point is, you got it on your _first day_!" He squeezes my hand and shakes it excitedly. "I don't think that's ever happened before. Anywhere."

"Regardless, Cassie, that's really impressive." Kam says and hugs my arm.

"Thanks... I kind of scare myself to be honest." I admit as we reach the front of the line and pick up our food.

"That's not a bad thing," Jona says as we walk to an empty table and sit down. "It's good, actually. If you're even a little afraid of your strength, then it helps you keep it under control. Makes sure you don't go overboard. If you're _not_ a bit afraid, then... who knows what you might end up doing to innocent people?"

"I guess you're right," I admit. "It's still weird."

"Agreed," Kam laughs, and Jona nods in agreement with his mouth already full of food.

Sitting down, just talking and laughing with my friends... that's weird, too. I haven't had a genuine friend since Earth. It's something I'm still getting used to.

I have no complaints at all.


End file.
